59. Six Strategies That Accelerated My Evaluation Career
The Evaluation Couch
In this episode, Maria shares how she fast-tracked her evaluation career in under four years without needing the typical 8-10 years of experience. She breaks down the "career growth fallacy" that holds many evaluators back and discusses six key strategies that accelerated her journey. This episode offers practical insights on how to create meaningful growth without waiting for arbitrary experience milestones. Register for the Own Your Edge Masterclass happening on January 20, 2026 . Resources Listen to Maria's episode on Planned Happenstance . Check out the BetterEvaluation...
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58. Personality Types and Leadership in Evaluation
The Evaluation Couch
Do you ever wonder if your personality is "right" for leadership in evaluation? In this episode, Maria challenges the myth that only certain personality types belong in leadership roles by exploring what research says about personality and leadership, why extroverts are overrepresented in leadership positions, and how introverts can be just as effective depending on the team context. Using the D.O.P.E. framework—Dove, Owl, Peacock, and Eagle—she breaks down four personality types and how they show up in evaluation work, discussing their natural strengths, potential challenges, and specific...
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57. How AI Is Transforming Evaluation Consulting with Slavica Stevanovic
The Evaluation Couch
In this episode, Maria interviews Slavica Stevanovic from Qatalyst Research Group, about the integration of artificial intelligence in evaluation consulting. Slavica shares how Qatalyst's early investment into technology allowed it to adopt artificial intelligence to streamline processes and deliver client solutions. The discussion covers the implications of artificial intelligence on evaluation consulting, the importance of human judgment and critical thinking, and practical strategies for professionals to stay relevant and adaptable in a rapidly changing field. Resources Check out reports...
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56. Visibility Through Consistency: Cecilia Eva Beloqui’s LinkedIn Journey
The Evaluation Couch
In this episode, evaluator Cecilia Eva Beloqui shares her inspiring journey of building visibility and community through daily posting on LinkedIn. She reflects on the discipline and consistency it took to commit to sharing resources every day for a year, the challenges of creating meaningful content, and the powerful connections and collaborations that emerged as a result. Cecilia discusses how curating and amplifying others’ work has strengthened her own evaluation practice, helped her communicate more effectively, and opened doors to new opportunities. Her story highlights the value...
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55. An Evaluator’s Journey into Portfolio Careers: Mishkah Teladia’s Story
The Evaluation Couch
In this episode, Mishkah Teladia shares her journey into a portfolio career, discussing her transition from a long-standing role in international development to exploring diverse opportunities that align with her purpose. She emphasizes the importance of self-discovery, the value of relational intelligence, and the need for flexibility in today's evolving work landscape. Mishkah also reflects on the emotional challenges of navigating career transitions and the joy that comes from integrating work and life. Download your free workbook to become a confident evaluator who attracts top...
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54. Embracing Portfolio Careers With Kelsi Kriitmaa
The Evaluation Couch
In this episode, Maria Montenegro is joined by Kelsi Kriitmaa to explore the concept of portfolio careers. They discuss the evolving landscape of work, particularly in the social impact sector, and how portfolio careers can offer flexibility and diverse opportunities. Kelsi shares her personal journey from a traditional career path that started in evaluation to embracing multiple roles, including coaching, consulting, and community building. The episode covers the challenges and benefits of portfolio careers, offering insights for those considering this path in a rapidly changing job market. ...
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53. Making The Case For Evaluation (Live from Eval25)
The Evaluation Couch
Live from Eval25 in Kansas City, Maria sits down with Denise Baer, Nathan Varnell, and Nina Sabarre for a dynamic conversation on the future of evaluation. Together, they explore why advocating for evaluation has never been more critical in the face of recent disruptions to the field. The guests reflect on what makes these challenges unique, highlight opportunities to strengthen the case for evaluation, and share practical strategies for communicating its value across diverse spaces. Along the way, they discuss how we can support one another as a community and ensure evaluation continues to...
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52. Owning Your Path: Mahesh's Career Story
The Evaluation Couch
In this conversation, Mahesh Krishnan Ramesh shares his journey of pursuing a career in public policy and evaluation. He discusses the cultural challenges of becoming an evaluator in India, the innovative approaches he has taken in his career, and the significance of mentorship and networking. He concludes with valuable advice for emerging evaluators on advocating for evaluation in various sectors. Resources Learn more about Mahesh's FIME awards project Download your free workbook to become a confident evaluator who attracts top opportunities in 4 steps . ...
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51. Interviewing With Your Edge Part 2
The Evaluation Couch
In this episode, Maria shares actionable strategies to help you interview with confidence and land the evaluation roles you're ready for. She breaks down the three most common types of interview questions, what interviewers are really looking for with each, and how to tailor your responses using real evaluation examples. You'll learn a simple framework to structure your answers with clarity and see it in action in real-life examples from interview answers of experienced evaluators. Download your free workbook to become a confident evaluator who attracts top opportunities in 4...
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50. Interviewing With Your Edge Part 1
The Evaluation Couch
This episode focuses on how to answer the common interview question, “Tell me about yourself.” Maria explains why this question is important, outlines common mistakes evaluators make when answering this question, and introduces a simple framework for structuring your answer. The episode includes examples from three evaluators, with feedback on what worked and what could be improved. Throughout the episode Maria provides specific examples of how you can answer this question with you edge, communicating what makes you stand out among other evaluators applying for the same role. Download...
info_outlineIn this episode, Maria Montenegro is joined by Kelsi Kriitmaa to explore the concept of portfolio careers. They discuss the evolving landscape of work, particularly in the social impact sector, and how portfolio careers can offer flexibility and diverse opportunities. Kelsi shares her personal journey from a traditional career path that started in evaluation to embracing multiple roles, including coaching, consulting, and community building. The episode covers the challenges and benefits of portfolio careers, offering insights for those considering this path in a rapidly changing job market.
Resources
Learn more about Kelsi's work and her group coaching program for consulting here.
Learn more about Kelsi's coach Amanda Goetz here.
Download your free workbook to become a confident evaluator who attracts top opportunities in 4 steps here.
www.mariamontenegro.ca | www.linkedin.com/in/mariamontenegro